Shared workspaces may be implemented via a network to support a virtual environment in which users are able to share assets such as applications, content, video conferencing, annotations, and other media across a plurality of appliances. Shared workspaces thus enable users distributed over a variety of geographic locations to collaborate in real time to share thoughts and ideas.
Sharing applications amongst multiple users can be challenging from a technical standpoint. For example, some approaches in the past have required local execution of software that had to be installed on the computer of each participant. If some participants taking part in a collaboration did not have the required software, then they could not participate in the sharing until they acquired and installed the software. Other approaches utilize specialized plug-ins, extensions, or applets which, again, if a participant does not have such resources, they are unable to participate in the sharing. Local execution of software to permit application sharing also gives rise to challenges associated with maintaining synchronization of content and state as between the different computing devices, managing control and interaction, and maintaining and promoting security.